OK, honest question: I have have a good acoustic guitar that has tremendous sentimental value. I played it enthusiastically in my teens and 20's, but it's been spending more time in the case than out over the last decade or so. When I do play it, it's the same tired pentatonic licks, the blues in E, Minor Swing, the handful of Dylan songs, random noodling, etc.
Hence my question: The flute is my primary/serious instrument, but I'd like to put the guitar to some use (beyond the aforementioned repertoire). I'm most comfortable in standard tuning, but I've spent time in open D and G and have dabbled in DADGAD, so I'm game for re-tuning.
You don't have to retune to accompany The Music. You do have to learn a new vocabulary, though, different modes, etc. Click on my user name to find an essay about things I learned when I went from playing chords along with folk songs to learning to accompany tunes.
That being said, listen to the advice above, and "don't quit your day job." A flute is always welcome at a session. And there are a LOT more accompanists than there is need for accompanists at sessions. Melody is king, and "it's good to be the king."
I agree with dogmageek. Play what you can play on flute in standard tuning. You'll find playing tunes on a guitar is a real challenge. The string intervals are 4ths and a third compared with fifths on fiddle and mandolin, and the string length doesn't help. Not many people make the effort to play tunes on guitar and when they do it's not very loud, but it's worth the effort.
mcswiss says "When I do play it, it's the same tired pentatonic licks, the blues in E, Minor Swing, the handful of Dylan songs, random noodling, etc." That's exactly it! - and it's the reason why I was desperately searching for something different after years and years of aimless meandering on the guitar. First I switched to mandolin (about 15 years ago now) and then fiddle and banjo and I discovered TUNES! Leave the guitar in its case. My strat is in a hard case gathering dust behind a sofa.
Seemingly a windup..but no one's wound up...yet..
However, what if the question was
reversed to "My primary is guitar, but I'm thinking of picking up the flute which I've only dabbled in over the years...?"
I was intrigued by one response above..."A flute is always welcome at a session."
Can I add "well played and in-tune as a modifier to that sentence"? In fact you could say that about any instrument, including the guitar.
I played Guitar first in Traditional Music I enjoyed it.
Then I here the playing of Tommy People's. I done better at the fiddle,Would you not rather do something like this.
No worries...flute isn't going anywhere. I've been playing for decades and have no plans to stop!
Guitar is just something to dabble on in the evening at home. But I'm tired of the random noodling...if I'm going to play, I'd like to actually play something musical.
You may find some inspiration at my website (www.davyrogers.com) if you fancy your hand at playing tunes in a fingerstyle fashion (rather than flat-picked or plain accompaniment) especially if you've already dabbled with alternative tunings.
guitar is awesome & I'll fight anyone who says it isn't. @richardb, I'll happily take the strat off your hands.
That being said, if you want to play good backing guitar in trad music, it takes some work. which is no reason not to do it. pick whatever tuning appeals to you the most--maybe do a bit of listening to different players, figure out whose sound you like the best & adopt that tuning--then learn it really well.
backing is all about rhythm, so however you work on your rhythm while playing the flute, do that on guitar. I'm a fan of putting on a good record, muting the strings & concentrating on the right hand.
mcswiss
< No worries...flute isn't going anywhere.
But I'm tired of the random noodling...if I'm going to play, I'd like to actually play something musical.>
' My Friend you've just answered you own Problem ' .....
Bear in mind that the majority of posters on here don't know about backing ITM (even though some might think they know everything - classic disqualification in all musical genres!). Of the ones that give their *considered* opinion I'm guessing roughly 1 in 15 (ish) have a clue, and even then its just their own opinion, so take all with a large pinch of salt.
I would say listen to the widely acknowledged greats and follow your ears.
For session playing, I say leave the guitar at home. Ditto the bouzouki, the charango, the lute, and any related instruments. Picking tunes, you can't hear them, and strumming is just pointless in a session, so just leave it and everyone's happy.
Fortunately for you, I don't make the rules and I don't claim to, so what I say doesn't go, but if you were to turn up at a session I play at, I'd much prefer that you leave the guitar in the case.
Maybe a nice song, if you've got one, with some guitar accompaniment, but otherwise, let's just play tunes and have a nice time. No need to go banging away on that thing all night.
No intention of taking the guitar to sessions. That's why I'm not interested in backing--when I'm at a session, I'm playing the flute.
Learning some tunes on the guitar is an good thought...could be a fun new angle. Nice for later at night when the flute's a bit loud.
One of my issues with guitar is that I don't sing, so just strumming chords isn't very interesting. I'm looking for something a bit more engaging.
In that case, learn to pick tunes. Great fun, and not difficult at all.
Try Miss Monaghan, that's a good starter tune. Wind That Shakes the Barley is also nice on guitar.
"you can hear guitars playing chords in sessions in all but the most extreme settings"
It's a good thing the rest of us manage to ignore them.
I sometimes wonder if guitar players have the idea that anyone's listening to them... then I think, who cares?
"It's a good thing the rest of us manage to ignore them.
I sometimes wonder if guitar players have the idea that anyone's listening to them... then I think, who cares?"
I played rock music in the 60's and stopped playing for 37 years. When I started to play again 5 years, it was Irish music, and I was immediately drawn to the melodies themselves. The melody will point to you the chords. Sometimes, I can't find the chord that I think I hear, but generally, I've gotten pretty good at it. When I first started, some musicians told me that guitars don't start tunes, and don't play melody, but they were wrong!
I have a 12 string that I increasingly use to play melody, and use my 6 string for accompanyment, it's a much better instrument for rhythm and percussive effects. With the 12 string sometimes I go back and forth betweem melody and chords, or mix them together.
If you want to explore alternate tunings, I would suggest Drop D as the chord shapes are essentially the same, but you get the droning effects in most keys. It can sound very similiar to DADGAD.
I can understand the sentiments of a session melody player when he sees a guitar coming out of its case. Way too often you get the 3 major chords and a minor, with all the unwanted 3rds too. It simply doesn't fit, even if the rhythm is perfect. However, when you get someone who knows what they're doing, and sticking to 5ths, 4ths and octaves, with a driving rhythm, it makes such a difference! Reading all the complaints on this board about "sessions", the impression I get is that their overall quality is, statistically, poor ...but that's just me
Ah, if it is tunes on the guitar you are interested in, my favorites are both Scots--Tony McManus, and the late Tony Cuffe. Brilliant fingerpicking, which is a real art. Check them out!
There are so many non-blues, non-trad genres for guitar. Learn to play some of Django's easier stuff--figure out some simple, slow Satie or Debussy piano pieces on guitar. Dabble in flamenco--chicks dig it.
I say play guitar as trad accmpnt only with those you want to play with (and vice versa, of course). Let's just say that situation is fraught. And Drop D is another cool tuning for the chore.
(Sorry--didn't notice your Minor Swing mention! So chuck out my Django suggestion--start channeling the spirit of Lenny Breau instead. Amaze family and friends!)
And as Jon is often fond of saying, "Nice night for a bonfire."
There are some amazing back-up guitarists I've had the pleasure of playing with, players who truly add to the music, and unless you're one of them, yes, leave the guitar at home. And even if you are a gifted backer, for God's sake, go have a smoke once in awhile and give us all a break.
Actually, I can really enjoy playing with mediocre tune players. If you know a few tunes, and you can play them in time, I don't ask for much more than that. We can have fun with that.
A mediocre guitar player, on the other hand, is a best a bunch of added background noise. Actually, in a session, even a very good guitar player is just so much background noise.
I've said it often enough, once more can't hurt: if you're making a record, or playing in a pub band, a guitar can be fun. If you're playing in a session, play the tunes or sit and listen. It doesn't matter how good you are, in a session you're irrelevant at best and a distraction at worst. Why bother?
I can enjoy playing with anyone, as long as the attitude is good.
the notion that guitar in a session is background noise is patently absurd. It's adding a rhythmic element, a bass part (being lower than most of the other common instruments), and either spelling out harmonies or implying them, whether they are the obvious ones or not.
of course a rotten guitarist can ruin things; I'm not arguing that. but the notion that a good one isn't adding anything is ridiculous.
The harmonies and the rhythms are there to begin with. Why do we need the guitar?
The musicians are already spelling out harmonies and implying all sorts of non-obvious ones - that's what phrasing and variations are about. If you've got someone bashing out whatever they think the chords are, the only possible effect is to cover up what the musicians are doing, and I'd rather hear the musicians.
(If the harmonies and rhythms are not there to begin with, of course, adding a guitar won't help)
Have you ever actually listened to a session with a guitar? Because the only way I can imagine you would think that (for example) a guitar playing a Bm chord instead of a D chord is not considerably more apparent than (say) a fiddle adding a double stop for a beat or two would be that you haven't ever heard it done.
Shockingly, it is possible to hear *both* the melody, in all its glory and with all the variations AND a separate harmonic part.
Also, nice division between "musicians" and guitarist. I see what you did there, you naughty boy.
"Have you ever actually listened to a session with a guitar?"
More often than I'd prefer to. I've also played in sessions with guitarists, some of them very good. It doesn't matter who they are, or how good they are, they always make the music much better when they stop playing.
To take you example, I think that a fiddle playing these games with the tune is actually much more effective, becuase then it's actually part of the tune.
It's the difference between "here's what I can play along with this tune" and "here's another way to hear this tune".
I like hearing how the tune can be varied, I'm really not interested in hearing what chords the guitar player thinks might fit under it.
I can enjoy someone like Alec Finn, who seems to me to actually have the tune in his playing, but even then he's at his best with just one or two other players.
But someone who just plays chords, it always sounds like they're just playing along to the radio. Sometimes they play something right, sometimes not, but it's a real effort to make what they play sound like it's even meant to go with the tune. So it's background noise, and it just makes it harder for me to lock in with the music.
Well, I'm certainly glad that you know how Alec Finn sounds best. I see you live in Boston. (home to a number of *really* fine guitar players, btw). Where do you play? I'd be curious to hear you.
Yeah, actually, I apologize for hijacking this thread into a one on one argument. Probably not all that appropriate. I just couldn't help myself, having recently given up arguing politics on twitter.
Thanks for bringing it back to the original, totally legit question!
I'm usually at Tommy Doyle's on a Wednesday night.
I don't know that I'm all that much to hear, but you're welcome to come down and play if you like. I'd rather a session without a guitar, but if you're coming, you might as well sit down and play.
For christ's sake, if I had a pint for every time I heard a guitar playing a Bm chord instead of a D chord i'd be feckin ... ... ...
... actually, I usually do just go for the glass when ever I hear such unimaginative predictable feckin nonsense. And don't get me started on the Fmaj7 instead of the Amin and the dreaded killer of the F#min instead on the Dmaj. You know who you are. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. STOP IT RIGHT NOW
what should I play on the guitar?
what should I play on the guitar?
OK, honest question: I have have a good acoustic guitar that has tremendous sentimental value. I played it enthusiastically in my teens and 20's, but it's been spending more time in the case than out over the last decade or so. When I do play it, it's the same tired pentatonic licks, the blues in E, Minor Swing, the handful of Dylan songs, random noodling, etc.
Hence my question: The flute is my primary/serious instrument, but I'd like to put the guitar to some use (beyond the aforementioned repertoire). I'm most comfortable in standard tuning, but I've spent time in open D and G and have dabbled in DADGAD, so I'm game for re-tuning.
Any suggestions?
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by mcswiss
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Yeah ... put it back in the case and play your bloody flute
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by ...
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
heh, nobody saw *that* coming....
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by Will Harmon
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Play the same stuff you play on the flute. Melody.
Chords is what llig said put it back in the case.
Flute.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by dogmageek
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
You don't have to retune to accompany The Music. You do have to learn a new vocabulary, though, different modes, etc. Click on my user name to find an essay about things I learned when I went from playing chords along with folk songs to learning to accompany tunes.
That being said, listen to the advice above, and "don't quit your day job." A flute is always welcome at a session. And there are a LOT more accompanists than there is need for accompanists at sessions. Melody is king, and "it's good to be the king."
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by AlBrown
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
I, too, play the guitar...at school with the kids, chunking away at chords to accompany pop tunes. At sessions, I play my fiddle.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
I agree with dogmageek. Play what you can play on flute in standard tuning. You'll find playing tunes on a guitar is a real challenge. The string intervals are 4ths and a third compared with fifths on fiddle and mandolin, and the string length doesn't help. Not many people make the effort to play tunes on guitar and when they do it's not very loud, but it's worth the effort.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by stantwang
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Just in case you need some inspiration to get you going:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzU98dg8laY
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by mulcreevy
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
wonderful!
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by Hup
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
There's always the 'bare chords' and drop-D tuning. Here's a clip .. guitar starts to get good at 01'35 :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1nN4iH9kgg
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by Worldfiddler
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
mcswiss says "When I do play it, it's the same tired pentatonic licks, the blues in E, Minor Swing, the handful of Dylan songs, random noodling, etc." That's exactly it! - and it's the reason why I was desperately searching for something different after years and years of aimless meandering on the guitar. First I switched to mandolin (about 15 years ago now) and then fiddle and banjo and I discovered TUNES! Leave the guitar in its case. My strat is in a hard case gathering dust behind a sofa.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by RichardB
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Seemingly a windup..but no one's wound up...yet..
However, what if the question was
reversed to "My primary is guitar, but I'm thinking of picking up the flute which I've only dabbled in over the years...?"
I was intrigued by one response above..."A flute is always welcome at a session."
Can I add "well played and in-tune as a modifier to that sentence"? In fact you could say that about any instrument, including the guitar.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by halfwaythere
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
"you could say that about any instrument"
great - I'll see you next week with my tuba
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by domhnall.
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Bring some Vaseline.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by gam
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
I played Guitar first in Traditional Music I enjoyed it.
Then I here the playing of Tommy People's. I done better at the fiddle,Would you not rather do something like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjLcfnY8-gY
Best of Luck whatever you Choose !
jim,,,
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by FIDDLE4
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
No worries...flute isn't going anywhere. I've been playing for decades and have no plans to stop!
Guitar is just something to dabble on in the evening at home. But I'm tired of the random noodling...if I'm going to play, I'd like to actually play something musical.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by mcswiss
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
You may find some inspiration at my website (www.davyrogers.com) if you fancy your hand at playing tunes in a fingerstyle fashion (rather than flat-picked or plain accompaniment) especially if you've already dabbled with alternative tunings.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by *Davy Rogers
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
guitar is awesome & I'll fight anyone who says it isn't. @richardb, I'll happily take the strat off your hands.
That being said, if you want to play good backing guitar in trad music, it takes some work. which is no reason not to do it. pick whatever tuning appeals to you the most--maybe do a bit of listening to different players, figure out whose sound you like the best & adopt that tuning--then learn it really well.
backing is all about rhythm, so however you work on your rhythm while playing the flute, do that on guitar. I'm a fan of putting on a good record, muting the strings & concentrating on the right hand.
enjoy!
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by matt
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
mcswiss
< No worries...flute isn't going anywhere.
But I'm tired of the random noodling...if I'm going to play, I'd like to actually play something musical.>
' My Friend you've just answered you own Problem ' .....
jim,,,
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by FIDDLE4
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
mcswiss,
Bear in mind that the majority of posters on here don't know about backing ITM (even though some might think they know everything - classic disqualification in all musical genres!). Of the ones that give their *considered* opinion I'm guessing roughly 1 in 15 (ish) have a clue, and even then its just their own opinion, so take all with a large pinch of salt.
I would say listen to the widely acknowledged greats and follow your ears.
Good luck!
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by feadog1
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Matt - you wouldn't want it - it's only a 1973 model, just post-CBS: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerart/6331504963/
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by RichardB
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
For session playing, I say leave the guitar at home. Ditto the bouzouki, the charango, the lute, and any related instruments. Picking tunes, you can't hear them, and strumming is just pointless in a session, so just leave it and everyone's happy.
Fortunately for you, I don't make the rules and I don't claim to, so what I say doesn't go, but if you were to turn up at a session I play at, I'd much prefer that you leave the guitar in the case.
Maybe a nice song, if you've got one, with some guitar accompaniment, but otherwise, let's just play tunes and have a nice time. No need to go banging away on that thing all night.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Guitar works really well with Trad, but only if you are very good at it. Arty Mc Glyn comes to mind
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by palethinboy
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
I say "play the guitar tastefully", works for most.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by Solidmahog
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Pierre Bensusan is a fecking genious!!
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by Mattias Holm
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
No intention of taking the guitar to sessions. That's why I'm not interested in backing--when I'm at a session, I'm playing the flute.
Learning some tunes on the guitar is an good thought...could be a fun new angle. Nice for later at night when the flute's a bit loud.
One of my issues with guitar is that I don't sing, so just strumming chords isn't very interesting. I'm looking for something a bit more engaging.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by mcswiss
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
In that case, learn to pick tunes. Great fun, and not difficult at all.
Try Miss Monaghan, that's a good starter tune. Wind That Shakes the Barley is also nice on guitar.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
This should keep you busy for a few weeks:-
http://www.oldmusicproject.com/occ/tunes.html
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by gam
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
you can hear guitars playing chords in sessions in all but the most extreme settings. picking tunes on guitar in a session is another matter.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by matt
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
"you can hear guitars playing chords in sessions in all but the most extreme settings"
It's a good thing the rest of us manage to ignore them.
I sometimes wonder if guitar players have the idea that anyone's listening to them... then I think, who cares?
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
"It's a good thing the rest of us manage to ignore them.
I sometimes wonder if guitar players have the idea that anyone's listening to them... then I think, who cares?"
nice. silly boy.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by matt
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
I played rock music in the 60's and stopped playing for 37 years. When I started to play again 5 years, it was Irish music, and I was immediately drawn to the melodies themselves. The melody will point to you the chords. Sometimes, I can't find the chord that I think I hear, but generally, I've gotten pretty good at it. When I first started, some musicians told me that guitars don't start tunes, and don't play melody, but they were wrong!
I have a 12 string that I increasingly use to play melody, and use my 6 string for accompanyment, it's a much better instrument for rhythm and percussive effects. With the 12 string sometimes I go back and forth betweem melody and chords, or mix them together.
If you want to explore alternate tunings, I would suggest Drop D as the chord shapes are essentially the same, but you get the droning effects in most keys. It can sound very similiar to DADGAD.
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by Celtic Guitar
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
RichardB
It's amazing how the formerly "less desirable" cbs era stuff is now "vintage!"
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by matt
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
I can understand the sentiments of a session melody player when he sees a guitar coming out of its case. Way too often you get the 3 major chords and a minor, with all the unwanted 3rds too. It simply doesn't fit, even if the rhythm is perfect. However, when you get someone who knows what they're doing, and sticking to 5ths, 4ths and octaves, with a driving rhythm, it makes such a difference! Reading all the complaints on this board about "sessions", the impression I get is that their overall quality is, statistically, poor ...but that's just me
# Posted on November 10th 2011 by Worldfiddler
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Ah, if it is tunes on the guitar you are interested in, my favorites are both Scots--Tony McManus, and the late Tony Cuffe. Brilliant fingerpicking, which is a real art. Check them out!
# Posted on November 11th 2011 by AlBrown
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM37aJe3vqo&feature=related
# Posted on November 11th 2011 by mellow_bellows
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Thanks mellow bellows, a picture (especially one with audio) is worth a thousand words.
# Posted on November 11th 2011 by AlBrown
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
you should play something that your comfortable with.
something that states your feeling at this moment.
# Posted on November 11th 2011 by angelyngorjuz
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
There are so many non-blues, non-trad genres for guitar. Learn to play some of Django's easier stuff--figure out some simple, slow Satie or Debussy piano pieces on guitar. Dabble in flamenco--chicks dig it.
I say play guitar as trad accmpnt only with those you want to play with (and vice versa, of course). Let's just say that situation is fraught. And Drop D is another cool tuning for the chore.
# Posted on November 11th 2011 by NEW Pure Drop® Ear Canal Oil
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
(Sorry--didn't notice your Minor Swing mention! So chuck out my Django suggestion--start channeling the spirit of Lenny Breau instead. Amaze family and friends!)
# Posted on November 11th 2011 by NEW Pure Drop® Ear Canal Oil
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
And as Jon is often fond of saying, "Nice night for a bonfire."
There are some amazing back-up guitarists I've had the pleasure of playing with, players who truly add to the music, and unless you're one of them, yes, leave the guitar at home. And even if you are a gifted backer, for God's sake, go have a smoke once in awhile and give us all a break.
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by sara505sings
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
When Tony comes down the pub, he brings his fiddle.
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by ...
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
I surely hope all the guitar naysayers are up to the standard on their own instruments to which they would hold guitarists.
because playing with a mediocre fiddle/flute/whistle/accordion/banjo/pipes/etc player can be just as tedious as a mediocre backer.
"give us all a break" indeed. feh.
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by matt
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Actually, I can really enjoy playing with mediocre tune players. If you know a few tunes, and you can play them in time, I don't ask for much more than that. We can have fun with that.
A mediocre guitar player, on the other hand, is a best a bunch of added background noise. Actually, in a session, even a very good guitar player is just so much background noise.
I've said it often enough, once more can't hurt: if you're making a record, or playing in a pub band, a guitar can be fun. If you're playing in a session, play the tunes or sit and listen. It doesn't matter how good you are, in a session you're irrelevant at best and a distraction at worst. Why bother?
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Jon,
I can enjoy playing with anyone, as long as the attitude is good.
the notion that guitar in a session is background noise is patently absurd. It's adding a rhythmic element, a bass part (being lower than most of the other common instruments), and either spelling out harmonies or implying them, whether they are the obvious ones or not.
of course a rotten guitarist can ruin things; I'm not arguing that. but the notion that a good one isn't adding anything is ridiculous.
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by matt
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
The harmonies and the rhythms are there to begin with. Why do we need the guitar?
The musicians are already spelling out harmonies and implying all sorts of non-obvious ones - that's what phrasing and variations are about. If you've got someone bashing out whatever they think the chords are, the only possible effect is to cover up what the musicians are doing, and I'd rather hear the musicians.
(If the harmonies and rhythms are not there to begin with, of course, adding a guitar won't help)
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Have you ever actually listened to a session with a guitar? Because the only way I can imagine you would think that (for example) a guitar playing a Bm chord instead of a D chord is not considerably more apparent than (say) a fiddle adding a double stop for a beat or two would be that you haven't ever heard it done.
Shockingly, it is possible to hear *both* the melody, in all its glory and with all the variations AND a separate harmonic part.
Also, nice division between "musicians" and guitarist. I see what you did there, you naughty boy.
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by matt
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
"Have you ever actually listened to a session with a guitar?"
More often than I'd prefer to. I've also played in sessions with guitarists, some of them very good. It doesn't matter who they are, or how good they are, they always make the music much better when they stop playing.
To take you example, I think that a fiddle playing these games with the tune is actually much more effective, becuase then it's actually part of the tune.
It's the difference between "here's what I can play along with this tune" and "here's another way to hear this tune".
I like hearing how the tune can be varied, I'm really not interested in hearing what chords the guitar player thinks might fit under it.
I can enjoy someone like Alec Finn, who seems to me to actually have the tune in his playing, but even then he's at his best with just one or two other players.
But someone who just plays chords, it always sounds like they're just playing along to the radio. Sometimes they play something right, sometimes not, but it's a real effort to make what they play sound like it's even meant to go with the tune. So it's background noise, and it just makes it harder for me to lock in with the music.
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Well, I'm certainly glad that you know how Alec Finn sounds best. I see you live in Boston. (home to a number of *really* fine guitar players, btw). Where do you play? I'd be curious to hear you.
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by matt
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Some ideas for DADGAD fingerpicking here : http://www.youtube.com/user/jeanbanwarth
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by Jean2
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Yeah, actually, I apologize for hijacking this thread into a one on one argument. Probably not all that appropriate. I just couldn't help myself, having recently given up arguing politics on twitter.
Thanks for bringing it back to the original, totally legit question!
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by matt
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
I'm usually at Tommy Doyle's on a Wednesday night.
I don't know that I'm all that much to hear, but you're welcome to come down and play if you like. I'd rather a session without a guitar, but if you're coming, you might as well sit down and play.
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Since you asked so nicely, maybe I'll just bring my fiddle. : )
(realistically, the late november/december frenzy is going to make getting out to any midweek session tough, but I'll keep it in mind).
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by matt
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Nah, bring whatever you like. I might not prefer it, but that's just me.
)
(but okay, do bring the fiddle in any case...
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Well, it'll probably be in a fiddle case ...
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by ethical blend
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
For christ's sake, if I had a pint for every time I heard a guitar playing a Bm chord instead of a D chord i'd be feckin ... ... ...
... actually, I usually do just go for the glass when ever I hear such unimaginative predictable feckin nonsense. And don't get me started on the Fmaj7 instead of the Amin and the dreaded killer of the F#min instead on the Dmaj. You know who you are. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. STOP IT RIGHT NOW
# Posted on November 14th 2011 by ...
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
you crack me up.
# Posted on November 14th 2011 by matt
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
jean, lovely playing
# Posted on November 17th 2011 by Joseph Tailyour
Re: what should I play on the guitar?
Thank you
# Posted on November 21st 2011 by Jean2